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Monte  Cristo 


A  MODERN  MONTE  CRI3T0 

AND  HIS  ISLAND 

A  Romantic  Glimpse  Into  Goatology 


BY  FREDERIC  W.  JONES 


GATEWAY  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

BEAUMONT,  CALIFORNIA 

1919 


Copyright  1918 
By  Frederic  W.  Jones 


37/    ^ 


CONTENTS 

Author's  Foreword 

CHAPTER  1  -A  Trip  to  the  Island  Page  5 

CHAPTER  2— Description  of  Island  10 

CHAPTER  3— Whence  Cometh  our  Goats  14 

CHAPTER  4— Monte  Christo  and  his  Island       18 

CHAPTER  5— Whither  Goeth  our  Goats  27 


440407 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

FRONTISPIECE    Monte  Cristo 

The  Block  and  Tackle  Route 

Ten  Thousand  Goats  Headed  for  a  Drink 
at  the  Spring 

A  Gang  of  Herders 

Trapped  at  the  Spring  by  the  Corral  System 

Billies  and  Nannies  in  Quarantine  Awaiting 
Shipment 


Author's  Foreword 

The  motor  ship  "Gryme"  at  municipal 
pier,  was  laden  with  several  hundred  live 
wild  goats.  We  watched  them  being  un- 
loaded. Four  to  six  at  each  lift,  were 
grappled  by  the  horns  with  a  hoisting  con- 
trivance of  ropes,  pulley-blocks,  etc. — in 
other  words,  they  were  transported  from 
the  hold  of  the  vessel  to  the  docks,  via  the 
"Block  and  Tackle"  route. 

Each  bunch  of  cud-chewers  presented  a 
sorry  spectacle  as  they  dangled  in  mid- 
air, with  no  apparent  destination  or  clue  on 
which  to  base  hope  for  a  much  needed  re- 
lief and  their  bulging  glassy  eyes  seemed 
about  ready  to  burst  from  their  sockets. 
Thus  suspended,  these  ruminant  captives 
were  jostled  against  one  another's  faces 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  appear  comical.  As 
their  goatees  seemed  to  frantically  puncture 


2       A   MODERN   MONTE   CRISI^O 

each  others  eyes  and  ears  it  would  have 
been  difficult  to  determine  whether  their 
grimaces  should  be  construed  as  exhibitions 
of  resentment  rather  than  tokens  of  affec- 
tion through  their  osculatory  medium, 
when  their  noses  bumped  together. 

This  scene  fills  me  with  curiosity  to  learn 
more  about  these  goats.  It  is  said  they 
were  born  on  Guadalupe  (Wadaloopy)  Is- 
land. I  understand  the  "Gryme"  returns 
for  another  load  in  a  day  or  two  and  if  op- 
portunity is  given,  I  have  decided  to  avail 
myself. 


y 


The  Block  and  Tackle  Route 


-i 


CHAPTER  I 
A  Trip  to  the  Island 

The  motor  ship  "Gryme"  had  recently  re- 
ceived a  coat  of  paint  and  looked  quite 
dressed  up. 

The  Captain  gave  the  signal  and  in  a 
very  few  minutes  our  vessel  was  gracefully 
pulling  out  from  municipal  pier  into  the 
San  Diego  beautiful  land-locked  Bay  which 
was  resplendent  with  activity.  Ferry  boats 
were  plying  between  the  city  and  the  Coro- 
nado  peninsula.  The  Pacific  fleet  was  rep- 
resented by  many  battle  ships,  armored 
cruisers  of  various  classes,  auxiliary 
cruisers,  torpedo  vessels  and  destroyers, 
monitors,  submarines,  submarine  chasers, 
transports,  gun  boats,  speed  motor  launches, 
tugs  and  colliers,  together  with  innumer- 
able   merchant    vessels    and    minor    craft. 


6       A  MODERN  MONTE  CRISTO 

Overhead  sailed  many  airplanes,  hydro- 
planes and  dirigibles  and  last  but  not  least, 
a  swarm  of  sea  gulls  darting  with  jealous 
fury  in  every  direction. 

I  never  look  out  upon  the  ocean  without 
being  attracted  by  the  sea  gulls;  and  never 
grow  tired  of  watching  their  movements 
both  on  the  water  and  in  the  air.  They 
are  certainly  artists  when  it  comes  to 
floating  or  flying.  Quite  a  flock  are  now 
approaching  our  ship.  Could  anything  be 
more  majestic  than  their  outspread  wings? 
and  they  are  such  perfect  navigators.  They 
swoop  around  and  go  just  where  they  want 
to  go  without  the  slightest  effort.  They 
have  no  more  fear  of  the  water  than  they 
have  of  the  air;  they  sit  right  down  in  it 
as  if  it  wasn't  wet.  They  can  ride  on  a 
crest  of  foam  and  appear  as  comfortable  as 
we  could  be  in  a  rocking  chair.  They  have 
a  happy-go-lucky  way  of  falling  into  the 
water  just  as  a  trapeze  performer  drops  in- 
to the  net  below  him;  the  only  difference  is, 
the  gull  is  sure  to  arrive  right  side  up. 

Two  of  these  birds  have  just  alighted  on 


A  MODERN  MONTE  CRISTO        7 

the  railing  of  the  upper  deck,  so  near  to  me 
tliat  I  can  ahrsost  touch  them.  I  am  screened 
from  their  vicv/,  but  can  plainly  see  them 
through  the  cabin  window;  one  is  draped 
ill  gray,  which  I  have  been  told  is  the  em- 
])lem  of  youth,  the  other  is  a  white  beauty, 
and  may  it  not  be  possible  they  are  mother 
and  daughter,  and  if  this  be  so,  mother 
has  captured  a  small  fish  and  holds  it  se- 
curely beneath  her  pink  toes.  It  was  al- 
wa}'s  difficult  for  me  to  hold  a  slippery 
fish  with  my  whole  outfit,  fingers  and 
thumbs,  but  behold  how  easily  mamma  can 
do  it  with  one  foot  containing  only  three 
long  toes  in  front  and  just  a  little  stump  of 
a  toe  behind.  I  was  fortunate  in  getting 
my  close  range  view  through  the  cabin 
window,  and  it  was  a  most  interesting 
spectacle  to  watch  the  white  bird  manage 
the  fish — with  its  bill  and  hook  attachment, 
it  is  marvelous  how  adroitly  they  are  en- 
abled to  pass  a  fish  from  their  toes  to  the 
bill  and  back  again  to  the  toes  of  either 
foot  without  losing  the  fish?  It  certainly 
was  a  busy  bird. 


8       A  MODERN   MONTE   CRISTO 

Their  little  round  black"  and  shiny  shoe- 
bivtton  eyes  must  possess  some  kind  of  a 
multiplex  radio-action  apparatus  which  en- 
ables them  to  see  everything  instantaneous- 
ly "in  any  direction  all  the  time.  There  is 
the  fish  to  watch  as  well  as  an  endless 
number  of  jealous  snappers  hanging 
around,  losing  no  opportunity  to  grab  the 
fish,  and  they  doubtless  have  many  other 
things  to  think  of  that  we  don't  know 
about. 

Coronado  and  North  Island  are  begin- 
ning to  fade  behind  us  and  we  are  drawing 
near  the  construction  works  of  the  new 
United  States  Marine  Corps  Base.  Passing 
out  through  the  harbor  channel  entrance, 
with  Point  Loma  to  our  right,  we  approach 
the  ocean.  The  Coronado  Islands  are  seen 
fifteen  miles  to  the  southwest.  We  make 
no  stops  until  we  reach  Ensenada,  Mexico, 
where  we  should  arrive  early  in  the  morn- 
ing. 


The  qiiiet  harbor  of  Ensenada  now  lies 
before  us.  The  sun  is  casting  4ts  radiance 


A   MODERN  MONTE   CRISTO        9 

above  the  Eastern  Elorizon.  Until  recently 
this  town  was  the  seat  of  the  Mexican  gov- 
ernment for  the  northern  district  of  Lower 
California.  It  has  been  moved  to  Mexicala, 
in  the  In:perial  Valley.  There  is  micrchan- 
dise  to  be  unloaded  here  and  we  expect  to 
depart  westward  this  afternoon  and  should 
arrive  at  Guadalupe  Island  tomorrow  eve- 
ning. 


We  now  get  our  first  glimpse  of  Guada- 
lupe late  in  the  afternoon.  It  glistens  in 
the  sun's  rays  like  an  opal  and  such  an  irri- 
descent  play  of  pearly  colors  are  seldom 
seen. 


CHAPTER  II 
Description  of  Island 

Guadalupe  Island  is  situated  about  two 
hundred  and  forty  miles  out  in  the  Pacific 
Ocean  southwest  of  San  Diego  in  latitude 
29  degrees  10  minutes  North,  longitude  118 
degrees  17  minutes  West,  and  is  twenty 
miles  long  and  from  three  to  seven  miles 
wide.  It  is  traversed  north  and  south 
throughout  its  length  by  a  chain  of  moun- 
tains, the  most  elevated  of  which  near  the 
northern  end  is  4500  feet  high.  The  shores 
are  in  general,  bold,  rocky  bluffs  with  de- 
tached rocks  close  to,  but  outside  of  one- 
quarter  mile.  There  are  no  known  dang- 
ers to  navigation  except  a  sunken  rock  on 
the  west  side  about  four  miles  north  of  the 
south  point  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
off  shore.  Very  deep  water  surrounds  the 
island,  there  being  1420  fathoms  at  4  miles 


lo 


Ten  Thousand  Goats  Headed  for  a  Drink 
at  the  Sprinff 


A   MODERN   MONTE   CRISTO     13 

from  its  northern  end  1121  fathoms  at  SjE^ 
miles  from  its  southern  end;  between  the 
island  and  the  main  land  are  depths  of  over 
2000  fathoms.  One  fathom  equals  six  feet. 

The  island  is  of  volcanic  origin  and  can 
be  seen  in  clear  weather  at  a  distance  of 
about  sixty  miles.  The  southern  part  of 
the  island  is  very  barren,  but  the  northern 
part  has  some  vegetation  on  the  mountains 
and  several  fertile  valleys.  Wood  and 
water  are  obtained  from  a  small  cove  near 
the  northeastern  end  of  the  island.  Off 
the  south  end  are  two  rocky  inlets,  inner 
inlet,  744  feet  high,  is  separated  from  the 
island  by  a  passage  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  wide,  in  which  are  depths  of  eleven 
fathoms,  with  rocks  under  water,  and  sev- 
eral rocks  out  of  the  water;  two  detached 
rocks  lie  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  its  south- 
eastern side.  Outer  inlet  677  feet  high,  is 
separated  from  inner  inlet  by  a  deep  chan- 
nel seven-eights  of  a  mile  wide. 

Milpomene  Cove,  at  the  south  end  of  the 
island,  affords  anchorage  in  nine  fathoms, 
sheltered- from. all.  but  southerly  winds. 


CHAPTER  III 
Whence  Cometh  our  Goats 

Following  the  precedent  of  Adam  and 
Eve — after  many  years,  Billie  and  Nannie 
Goat  are  said  to  have  settled  on  Guadalupe 
Island  and  their  descendants  of  Billies  and 
Xannies,  through  many  generations,  have 
in  all  prohability,  numbered  into  the  mil- 
lions by  this  time. 

History  does  not  seem  to  record  when 
or  how  these  Billies  and  Nannies  first  es- 
tablished themselves,  but  it  is  not  unrea- 
sonable to  believe  that  their  exodus  may 
date  back  to  the  arrival  of  the  Franciscan 
or  Jesuite  Fathers  or  much  earlier,  in  fact, 
who  shall  give  evidence  that  CharlesV.  of 
Spain  in  1542,  did  not  commission  Cabrillo 
to  secure  for  him  a  goat  ranch,  which 
might  be  none  other  than  Guadalupe? 


>i 


'b 


A  Gang  of  Herders 


IC 


A    MODERN   MOXTE   CRIST(3      17 

It  has  been  estimated  that  there  are  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  thousand  goats  on 
the  island  at  the  present  time.  The  birth 
rate  is  said  to  reach  from  five  to  seven 
hundred  daily  and  the  death  rate  to  have 
reached  as  high  as  50  per  cent.  During  the 
present  year,  however,  the  death  rate  has 
been  much  higher  than  the  average,  owing 
to  an  unexpected  visit  from  a  multitude  of 
locusts  which  swept  down  upon  the  island 
and  made  a  cleaning  of  everything  to  eat 
and  the  poor  Billies  and  Nannies  are  said 
to  have  starved  by  the  thousand.  This 
calamity  was  soon  followed  by  rains  and 
such  goats  as  managed  to  subsist  on  water 
were  kept  alive  until  the  new  crop  of  grass 
and  weeds  commenced  to  sprout. 


CHAPTER  IV 
Monte  Cristo  and  his  Island 

According  to  thrilling  narratives  ver- 
bally given  by  various  authorities  among 
the  islanders,  the  photograph  of  Count 
Alonte  Cristo,  the  name  by  which  he  v^as 
universally  known,  presents  him  very  much 
subdued  from  what  he  appeared  during  his 
heroic  past. 

He  was  first  brought  into  prominence 
through  his  escape,  when  a  prisoner  on  a 
motor  ship,  and  his  safe  return  to  his  island 
home  after  a  three-mile  swim. 

His  capture  was  effected  by  being  trap- 
ped at  the  spring,  around  which  a  corral 
had  been  constructed.  Our  hero  came  down 
with  a  crowd  of  his  companions  to  quench 
his  thirst  at  the  only  spring  on  the  island. 


1^ 


Trapped  at  the  Spring  by  the  Corral  System 


/t 


A   MODERN   MONTE   CRISTO     21 

He  was  then  unsophisticated — after  having 
been  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  gang  of 
ship  company's  employes,  he  discovered  too 
late,  the  plot,  and  the  object  of  a  corral 
v^hich  robbed  him  of  his  freedom  and  forced 
him  to  take  the  block  and  tackle  route. 

Soon  after  pulling  out  to  sea,  our  hero 
must  have  done  some  heavy  thinking,  for 
v^hen  only  a  short  distance  from^  land,  the 
alarm  was  given  that  a  goat  had  jumped 
overboard.  No  attempt  was  made  to  re- 
cover him,  and  the  incident  was  considered 
by  all  hands  to  be  a  case  of  lost  goat. 

As  a  result  of  this  occurrence,  our  hero 
gained  the  name  of  the  Count  of  Monte 
Cristo  in  commemoration  of  Alexandre  Du- 
mas' famous  hero,  which  name  stuck  to 
him  throughout  his  subsequent  career. 

The  Count's  experience  after  jumping 
overboard  has  never  been  told,  but  that  he 
made  a  successful  three-mile  swim  and 
reached  his  native  land  has  been  proven 
beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  on  testimony 
of  witnesses  who  claim  to  know  positively 


22     A  MODERN  MONTE  CRISTO 

b}^  certain  prominent  and  indisputable  char- 
acteristics. 

From  all  reports,  it  would  seem  that  the 
Count's  escape  from  a  salt  water  grave 
had  wrought  within  his  whole  being,  an 
insatiable  desire  to  appease  the  Goat  Gods 
for  his  rniraculaus  deliverance,  and  as  proof 
of  his  sincerity,  to  devote  his  future  career 
to  the  furtherance  of  the  highest  interests 
of  his  fellow  goats. 

In  accordance  v/ith  the  foregoing  pre- 
dilection the  Count,  since  his  escape,  has 
been  ever  on  the  alert  to  defeat  the  efforts 
of  the  herding  gangs  to  corral  a  sufficient 
number  of  goats  to  meet  the  demands  of 
the  transportation  companies  for  shipment, 
and  he  has  shown  himself  to  be  some  gen- 
eral, judging  from  the  large  following  he 
has  influenced,  particularly  among  the  Bil- 
lies. 

His  secret  service  department  was  not- 
ably efficient,  as  the  approach  of  any  ves- 
sel was  sighted  in  advance;  and  increased 
vigilance  was  apparent  in  the  absence  of 
goats  for  long  periods  between  drinks,  so 


A  MODERN  MONTE  CRISTO     28 

long  indeed,  that  it  was  thought  that  the 
Count  must  have  discovered  other  watering 
places.  Careful  watch  was  kept  by  the 
herders  at  the  spring  and  efforts  to  secure 
water  at  midnight  hours  often  resulted  in 
battles  in  which  the  goats  were  victorious. 

For  a  brief  period  the  Count's  successful 
marshalling  of  his  legions  continued  to 
carry  everything  before  them,  but,  Friday, 
the  thirteenth,  was  the  beginning  of  the 
end  of  the  Count's  successes.  He  was  grad- 
ually approaching  his  "Waterloo"  and  from 
a  cause  least  expected.  It  was  nothing 
short  of  a  calamity  and  one  probably  not 
equalled  by  the  Israelites  under  the  Phar- 
oahs. 

There  appeared  a  black  cloud,  and  with 
it,  came  a  mighty  rushing  wind  which 
covered  the  island  with  a  multitude  of  lo- 
custs which  soon  devoured  everything  fit 
to  eat,  thousands  of  Billies  and  Nannies 
were  left  to  starve  amid  the  devastation 
and  many  of  the  vast  army  of  the  Count 
of  Monte  Cristo  shared  the  same  fate. 

The  Count,  with  fragments  of  his  body 


24     A  MODERN  MONTE  CRISTO 

guard  were  discovered  after  the  holocaust 
had  spent  its  fury  and  the  Count  was  pretty 
much  all  in,  being  weak  from  exhaustion, 
and  while  he  was  undoubtedly  thankful  for 
the  water  and  alfalfa  sustenance  tendered 
him  by  his  captors,  he  remained  obdurate 
and  still  possessed  his  indomitable  will,  but, 
in  less  degree.  His  photograph  was  taken 
after  he  had  time  to  cool  off  and  he  ap- 
pears quite  resigned,  although,  were  his 
inner  consciousness  exposed  and  expression 
given  to  his  thoughts  there  might  be  re- 
vealed, the  words  made  immortal  by  our 
old  friend,  Patrick  Henry:  "Give  me  liberty 
or  give  me  death." 


Billies  and  Mannies  in  Quarantine  Awaiting 
Shipment 


CHAPTER  V 
Whither  Goeth  our  Goats 

The  last  ship  load  of  goats  brought  over 
from  Guadalupe  by  the  "Gryme"  numbered 
550  which  are  shown  photographed  while 
in  quarantine  at  the  A.  T.  &  S.  F.  freight 
yards.  The  bucks  for  the  most  part  are 
shipped  to  packing  companies  at  Los  An- 
geles and  other  points  for  slaughter  and 
eventually  find  their  way  into  the  meat 
markets  designated  as  choice  venison  and 
lamb  chops  or  some  portions  may  drift  into 
the  canned  goods  department  where  they 
are  classified  under  labels  delicatessen  spe- 
cialties. The  hides,  hair  and  bones  are  all 
utilized  and  nothing  is  lost  as  the  pork 
packers  say  "except  the  squeal" — a  goat  has 
never  been  heard  to  squeal. 

440407 

7-7 


28     A  MODERN  MONTE  CRISTO 

The  better  specimens  of  "does"  find  a 
ready  market  among  the  dairy  ranchers  for 
breeding  purposes,  being  sired  by  pure-bred 
bucks  imported  from  Toggenburg  Valley, 
Svv^itzerland,  and  their  descendents  are  des- 
tined to  become  celebrated  milchers;  and 
goat's  milk  is  fast  becoming  baby's  first 
choice — mother  says. 


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